Welcome
Private Counselling & Psychotherapy in Colchester & Online
This is your safe space to meet yourself
In today’s fast-paced way of life, it is often hard to remember to pause to evaluate what is going on for you and meet yourself authentically. Talking about the issues you are facing candidly with somebody professionally equipped to assist you can be an effective way of reducing tension and can help you to find a path through life’s difficulties, mitigating the notion that you have to navigate everything alone.
SUPPORTING YOU ON YOUR PATH TO HEALING
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SUPPORTING YOU ON YOUR PATH TO HEALING /
Hello
I’m Shonagh
I appreciate that seeking out a therapist can feel like a big step and the thought of sharing your vulnerabilities with someone new can be daunting. It’s completely okay to feel unsure about the process.
I’m a qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Psychotherapist in advanced training at the Metanoia Institute in London.
I have accumulated clinical experience from various settings and have had the extraordinary privilege of working with a diverse range of clients in accordance with my commitment to inclusive and anti-oppressive working. I consider myself to be dedicated, empathetic and personable, with my clients’ best interests always at the very heart of my practice.
I will not advise you on what to do, but will instead aid you to draw upon your own resources. As an integrative practitioner, I use a range of therapeutic models to tailor support in a way that feels right for you. I’m trained in three Humanistic modalities — Transactional Analysis, Gestalt and Person Centred, and I work relationally, seeing the relationship between therapist and client as a key component of meaningful change.
I further believe that each unique client is the expert on themselves, humans are to be understood as a whole (combining mind, body, soul, context and community) and people have essential worth and the capacity to overcome in the right conditions.
THE MODALITIES
used in my practice
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Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis examines relational patterns, namely communication and transactions with ourselves and others, and how these may be creating some stuckness. This frequently means working with the presenting past - things that occurred or messages we received in childhood which may still throw up difficulties or limiting beliefs about our lives, consciously or subconsciously.
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Gestalt
Gestalt promotes spontaneity and presence in the here-and-now. It also takes into account historic events. For example, exploring how one has creatively adjusted to form behavioural patterns, and an awareness of how we make contact with another or self in different contexts. A further focus is placed on the way that the body signifies reactions and processes experiences.
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Person Centred
The Person Centred approach emphasises meeting people empathically where they are at and a reconnection with one’s congruent self, holding that the client’s self-actualising tendency means that they are instinctively driven towards their potential. In this way, the client arrives at their own answers and the therapist works with what the client brings in to the room.
My Areas of Expertise
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Including panic attacks, climate anxiety, health anxiety and academic anxiety.
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Including support for the veteran or SP’s family, moral injury, preparing for deployment or returning from deployment, adjustment disorder and reintegrating to civilian life after service.
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Including complex PTSD and vicarious trauma.
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Including making sense of suspicions or diagnoses.
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Including bereavement, career changes, prenatal and postpartum periods, fertility, chronic health conditions and terminal illness.
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Including sexuality, spirituality, gender, privilege, existential concerns, diversity and otherness.
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Including self-sabotaging behaviour.
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Including attachment and belonging, conflict and repair, separation and estrangement, social isolation and loneliness.
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Including gambling, overspending, substance abuse and sex/pornography addiction.
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Including domestic violence, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, emotional abuse and coercive control.
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Including sources of/defences against both.
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Including fear of the unknown, fear of intimacy and social phobia.
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Including comparison to others, self-limiting beliefs and general dissatisfaction with life.
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Including overwhelm and burnout.
gentle reminder
A PLACE FOR YOU
REFUGIA: SMALL POCKETS OF SAFETY WHERE LIFE ENDURES.
Sometimes our development doesn’t look like sudden, big changes — it could be quiet moments of reflection, experimenting with different ways of being, and the courage to put one foot in front of the other. Therapy is a respectful space to ground yourself amongst the external chaos, where your experiences are met with curiosity and care, and where shifts to new possibilities and beginnings emerge at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Like nature, growth can be gentle and unfolding in its own time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I charge £65 per 50 minute session. I offer discounted sessions to members of the armed forces, NHS and emergency services.
Online - payments are to be made in full in advance of a session via bank transfer
In-person - payments are to be made in full in advance of a session via bank transfer, or you can pay in cash on the day
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Appointments are typically arranged on a weekly basis at the same time and on the same day each week. Therapy is initially conducted weekly to maximise momentum in the work. However, once we have seen one another for a sufficient period of time and met some of your goals, we may decide to meet fortnightly. It is understood that sometimes short breaks will be necessary. Regular attendance is needed for therapy to be effectual.
I offer some evening slots. At present, I do not work on Mondays or weekends.
Therapy is usually open-ended, but committing to long-term work can seem daunting, particularly at the outset. With this in mind, we will generally agree to work for 6-8 sessions to begin with, after which time we can review which aspects of the work are proving helpful and how you would like to progress.
Some clients continue with the same practitioner for many years, whilst some know they only wish to commit to a number of sessions. In such cases, I contract with the client for shorter-term work to focus on more concise, realistic objectives.
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I offer a free 15 minute Zoom call to give an initial assessment as to whether I may be a good fit for you, and to get a brief overview of your reasons for accessing therapy. This time also serves for you to ask me any questions. Please connect using a device which has a functioning camera.
If there is an opportunity to continue with one another, we can proceed to arrange our first paid session for a mutually agreed time/date, and I will provide you with a copy of an intake form to complete and our therapeutic agreement to consider beforehand.
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Clients may:
Gain a deeper insight into the issues they’re facing and address the root causes of difficult emotions
Experience having their worries and life stories validated or given appropriate attention and consideration, possibly for the first time
Feel more empowered, overcome creative blocks and feel better prepared to make more informed decisions
Attach their own meaning to life and identify their personal values
Break generational cycles
Unload things they’ve never felt able to tell another person before
Move towards a more authentic sense of self
Process important feelings or events and heal from trauma
Make peace with the past and create hope for the future
Implement boundaries and healthy coping strategies
Reveal unconscious ways of being, biases and motivations
Distinguish between the things they can and cannot control
Cultivate confidence and strive towards self-validation rather than external validation
Accept the numerous and often dichotomous parts of themselves
Evaluate the agency and choice they have in circumstances rather than only sticking to historic or automatic patterns
Improve relationships with themselves and others
Integrate thinking and feeling, facilitating a greater understanding of the connection between their mind and body
Better understand clinical diagnoses and reflect upon the personal significance of these
Rewrite narratives and work through self-imposed labels and possible limiting beliefs
Build belonging and find positive connections
Consciously communicate and express their emotions more effectively
Increase their tolerance
Learn to constructively engage with and resolve conflict
Manage stress better, leading to an improvement in mental and physical health
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If you find yourself in immediate crisis, you can contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123. They are a free, confidential listening service run by volunteers 24/7 and are available to anyone in distress.
Alternatively, you can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
For the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, please call 0808 2000 247 for free at any time.
Dial 999 or go to your local accident and emergency department in an emergency. For example, if somebody’s life is at risk, they have seriously injured themselves, taken an overdose or you don’t feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.
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The first session with a new therapist can be nerve-wracking, even if you have had therapy before. It is therefore not essential to jump in at the deep end. Instead, it is an opportunity to get to know one another and to examine whether we could work well together.
I go through your background information with you and ascertain what your goals may be. I request that you complete an initial evaluation form and we will also attend to contracting, so that we can both be sure of expectations and boundaries. We can additionally discuss any queries you might have regarding the therapeutic agreement you will have been sent.
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It is understood that sometimes life happens and there may be occasions when you are not able to attend as planned.
48 hours minimum of your intention to cancel is required. Cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice will be charged at the full session rate.
If it is possible to rearrange your session for an alternative time or day, we can discuss this option, but this cannot be guaranteed.
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It is a common misconception that there must be something ‘wrong’ with your mental health in order to value from therapy. Equally, individuals may believe that they need to be experiencing something ‘serious’ enough to seek out support. However, anybody can benefit from having the space to be curious about themselves and the world around them. At times though, a significant event may well be the thing that brings you in.
You might come for a specific reason or just want to take the time to explore yourself generally. Frequently, therapy begins with a few issues or goals, which then emerge in to other unexpected themes. Some of my clients simply enjoy having an hour solely for themselves to process the week and consider this as vital self-care.
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This will be unique to you, but is certainly an important decision to make. Much research supports the idea that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is the most important factor in effectual therapy.
That said, it’s okay if you don’t get it right first time. Many people try different therapists before landing on one they think will be most beneficial to them.
Some considerations might be:
How long the practitioner has trained/practiced for and at what facility. Not all therapy qualifications are equal, and a lack of adequate training in fragile work can be harmful
What credentials the practitioner holds, including which organisations they are accredited by and which ethical codes they abide by
What modalities the practitioner is trained in, whether this aligns with your view of the world, and whether they have experience working with particular issues relevant to you
The practitioners’ individual style of working
Characteristics of the practitioner, such as: gender, age, languages spoken or cultural background
The practicalities of therapy offered, such as: location, cost and frequency
How safe and understood you would feel with this practitioner
A good start could be to book introductory calls with a few therapists. It may then be sensible to narrow this down to a couple of therapists to meet for a first session, should your financial situation allow this.
Sometimes you may be surprised by who you envisioned as your therapist, and who you end up with. At different times of life, you may require a different type of practitioner.
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On practitioners’ profiles, refer to the professional bodies therapists are accredited by, and whose ethical codes they adhere to. Examples are:
UKCP - UK Council for Psychotherapy
BACP or MBACP - (Member) British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
BABCP - British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
BPS - British Psychological Society
Some pertain to therapeutic modalities. Examples are:
TA - Transactional Analysis (I offer this)
PCA - Person-Centred Approach (I offer this)
CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
DBT - Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
MBT - Metallisation Based Therapy
ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
IFS - Internal Family Systems
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Counsellors and psychotherapists are interchangeably called therapists. Further specialist training is required to become a psychotherapist.
Generally speaking, counselling focuses on specific issues and is shorter-term, whereas psychotherapy often treats deeper, more complex patterns and is longer-term.
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Therapy is only one option available to bettering people’s health. It is not unusual to have therapy in addition to other treatments or alongside corresponding healthy routines.
Therapy can at times be demanding, frustrating and sensitive, and it is recognised that you may find this process difficult. Moreover, it is common to feel stuck about progress and this is a normal part of the work. Indeed, sometimes you may feel worse before you feel better. We can discuss the reactions you’re having and try to figure out what is going on together.
I regularly review with clients to ensure they have an opportunity to provide feedback. Ultimately, the sessions are your space and need to work for you. A planned ending, where possible, is an important part of the therapeutic process.
Your Wellbeing
What I Offer
I provide one-to-one therapy sessions in person from my practice on the outskirts of Colchester, or online via Zoom to anybody residing within the UK.
Therapy can be short, medium or long-term and is tailored to your presentation and needs.
I work with individuals aged 18 and over, offering a confidential and non-judgemental space to explore whatever is presenting itself to you. I do not currently work with couples or groups. I am also unable to work with adoption cases, active eating disorders or active psychosis.
I adhere to the ethical standards of the UKCP, BACP and Metanoia Institute.
